Closure
by fanficismysecretobsession
Summary: Set at the beginning of season 2. Veronica writes a letter to Logan, admitting all her feelings for him, to give herself closure. LoVe
1. Chapter 1

**Just a little fic that I've rattled off in about half an hour. I got the inspiration and just started writing, so I hope you like it. I've decided I quite like these little one sided reflections, but I've got several other veronica mars fics in mind as well! All LoVe of course, because really what else is there? Anyway, this is set near the beginning of season 2, around Cheatty Cheatty Bang Bang. No spoilers really, as long as you're schooled up till that point. Enjoy.**

I wish I could make you understand, Logan Echolls, just how easy it is for me to love you. I wish I could make you realise that I understand you, and the reasons why, time and again, you act like a jerk. I know you think that I hate you, and maybe I do, a little, but I love you more.

I dumped you that summer because I didn't understand you anymore, and it scared me; not knowing why you were doing what you were doing. It wasn't until I thought back over your actions in those long nights at the suite, listening to you and Kendall going at it next door, that I finally understood. And once I did, I couldn't wait to have you back.

But nothing is ever that simple, is it? You have your trashy trophy-wife, and I have Duncan, my bland but safe 'Prince Charming'. I thought about walking into your room and taking you back, with whatever means necessary, but we've all got to live together, and there would have been no point risking it all when I know you're so happy in your no-strings fling. Damn, I've got to stop with the alliteration and rhyming. I don't even like English!

But that's the point, isn't it. Just thinking of you, writing this letter, makes me go all giddy and start using poetic devices. Love really does make poets out of men. Or women.

And there it is. I've finally said it, I'm a poet because I'm in love, and I'm not in love with the boy sleeping beside me right now. I'm in love with the boy next door, the boy who for once is doing something other than banging Kendall Casablancas. You know, Logan, the fact that you're not with her right now gives me a weird kind of hope. Like, maybe you've decided to stop seeing her, however good a lay she is. But I've realised that it's Wednesday, and as I've heard her tell you so often, she's got cocktails with the girls tonight. Do you think she's actually with girls, Logan? Or do you know, in you heart, just like I do, that she's with some other rich guy – very probably her husband.

But then, who am I to talk? I spend every available night over here at the suite, and although I've tried long and hard to convince myself that I come for Duncan, I don't want to lie to myself anymore. I'll lay it out there, I come to see you. I come as much as possible because, since you've taken to skipping more school than ever, I wouldn't see you at all. And that would have killed me. It's bad enough that I can't be your girlfriend – your insane antics last summer and my lack of trust and understanding have probably put paid to that notion forever – but not to see you at all would have burnt up those last remaining pieces of my heart.

Sometimes I fool myself into thinking that you want me back, that you're just using Kendall as a distraction. But who am I kidding? _I_ was probably the distraction between rich, experienced girls. But even as I write it, I know that isn't true. You loved me. I just wish I'd been brave enough, wish I'd understood then, so that I could say it back. Because I loved you – I still do.

I wish we could work through our issues, because I've grown up, and so have you. I understand you better than I ever have before, and I love you more than I did when we were dating. Maybe it was when your house got razed to the ground that I realised it, because damn I always loved you more when you were vulnerable, attacked. I don't love Duncan any of the time, but he's hung up on me, even more so than when we were together before. I guess that's what happens when you give someone your virginity twice – once when you don't remember and once when you do. But surely, if that was the case I'd be more in love with him. Instead I'm in love with the guy who never got that far with me, who was patient and understanding, and knew what I wanted almost better than I did.

I don't know why I'm writing this. After all, if I really wanted you to know all this then I'd just go next door and tell you myself. But I don't think I do want you to know, I think this letter is for me. You're never going to read this letter, Logan Echolls, and neither is Duncan. I'll probably burn it when I finish, just to make sure that no one ever sees it.

But I needed to do this, I need the closure. I need to tell myself that I still love you and that I've either got to do something about it or move on.

Somehow I have the feeling that I'll be making myself moving on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Right, so this was going to be a one shot, but I got a request to continue on with the story, and so I've done just that. The first chapter was just Veronica's letter, but now the story around it begins. Enjoy. **

Veronica sighed as she put down her pen and read through the letter she had just written. It was meant to be a way of venting, of getting rid of all the left over emotions, but having written it, she didn't feel any better. Duncan rolled over in his sleep and tried to grab her waist. Normally, the fact that he wanted to be nearer to her was endearing and cute, but that night Veronica just found it annoying.

"Dammit, this letter was meant to give me closure, not show me how little I feel for Duncan." Veronica grumbled as she got out of bed to grab a drink of water.

She took the letter with her, and foraged for the cigarette lighter that she knew was hidden somewhere in the living room space in the suite. Duncan didn't think she knew, but he had started smoking again. She snorted as she thought of how naïve Duncan was to think that she wouldn't find out.

The lighter having been located, Veronica took a gulp from her bottle of water, and then held up the letter to burn it to a crisp.

"Don't want anyone finding this." She whispered, as she started singing the edge.

A door slamming behind her caused her to jump and shut the lighter, quickly shoving it and the letter under a cushion on the couch. She turned around to find Logan scrutinising her from next to the minibar. She was struck by how much he had changed since the last time they had dated, but realised that this was not the time to be caught staring at him.

"Your dad off chasing bail jumpers again?" She had expected the usual biting comment, and his considerate, level question surprised her.

"Yeah, he is. Some dude who didn't want to be tried for indecent exposure." Veronica decided not to antagonise him just because she was feeling insecure. "Backup is at the vet, and I hate being home alone."

"Is Duncan awake?"

"No, he sleeps like the dead." She laughed softly, "But I had too much on my mind to sleep easy." She blushed, thinking she had given too much away, but Logan gave no indication of reading anything into her words. "What about you? Bed too boring without Kendall?"

"No, I uh, I just, I," Veronica is amused, but shocked by his stuttering. Logan never let on when he was uncomfortable, and so the obvious discomfort was odd. "I couldn't sleep."

"Right, well, I better get some sleep, got a history test tomorrow." Veronica hurried back into Duncan's room, forgetting all about the letter in her discomfort.

Logan looked after her as she left. He had been surprised but pleased with the civil conversation they'd just had, but was annoyed at himself for being so obviously uncomfortable. He knew that Veronica had noticed, as she had smirked at him knowingly, but he hoped that she hadn't realised that the reason he was awake was because he had been thinking about her. Taking a bottle of tequila out of the minibar, he sat down on the couch, head in his hands.

He shifted slightly and heard something crackle beneath him. Curious, he stood up and looked where he had been sitting. There was nothing on the couch, but he caught sight of a piece of paper sticking out from underneath the cushion. He lifted up the cushion, and found a sheet covered in Veronica's familiar scrawl, and Duncan's neon green cigarette lighter.

"What the hell…" He whispered, as he picked them up and started scanning the paper, disinterestedly. "Probably just some dirty letter that Ronnie wrote the Donut that he wants to destroy so no one else finds…" He trailed off as he caught sight of his name. His eyes darted back up to the top of the page and he began reading it in earnest.

"I know you think that I hate you, and maybe I do, a little, but I love you more…" He breathed, "I'm not in love with the boy sleeping beside me right now. I'm in love with the boy next door. The boy next door…Holy crap! I'm the boy next door!" He cracked a huge grin and continued reading. His face fell, however, as he read the last line again. "Move on? Move on? Shit, Ronnie, don't move on! I want you back!"

Logan sank down onto the couch, the letter clutched in his fist. He read it and reread it, thoughts going round and round his head. He barely noticed the hours go by, and only realised what time it was when he heard Duncan and Veronica moving around in Duncan's room, chatting and laughing.

He sped into his bedroom to avoid seeing the supposedly happy couple interacting. He knew that Veronica was only acting the part of devoted girlfriend, and he didn't want to see it. He wasn't sure what to do about the letter. He could either keep his mouth shut and stay miserable with Kendall for company, or he could call her on it, and make his best friend miserable with no one for company.

A knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts.

"Hey, dude, you better hurry up, or we'll be late for school." Duncan said, leaning against the doorframe, as Veronica walked over to kiss him on the cheek.

The happy picture they made was too much for Logan. He didn't know what to do yet, but he did know that he couldn't stand a day in school watching Veronica lie to everyone, including herself.

"Uh, I don't think I'm gonna go in today." He said, winking at Duncan to give the impression that he was going to call Kendall and have a bit of fun. "I'm uh ill." Duncan nodded knowingly, and walked away. "Hey, uh, good luck with that history test, Ronnie." Logan said, as Veronica was turning to leave.

She turned back, shock evident on her face. "Thanks, Logan. Don't, um, don't tire yourself out too much with Kendall. Who knows, maybe you'll actually get ill, and then where will you be?" She grinned, and Logan was about to mention the letter Duncan's voiced floated across the suite.

"Come on, Ronica, we're gonna be late." She turned and followed her boyfriend out of the hotel room.

"Okay then Logan, no more distractions, it's time for you to do some thinking."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So much for me thinking that I'd have more time to post in the holidays! I've been away, and ill, so that will have to be a good enough excuse for not posting anything since before christmas. Hope you've all had good holidays and that, I'm back in school on Wednesday, unluckily! But I always write more in termtime, so I'll be posting more soon. If anyone has any ideas about what Logan should do to win Veronica back I'd be grateful for them, since I'm pretty much making this up as I go along! I only own the storyline, the rest is the maker's. enjoy. **

Veronica got about halfway through her history test before she remembered the letter.

"Shit!" She practically yelled it, and the entire class turned to look at it. "Sorry. Just, uh, realised that I filed in every answer one question below.." she trailed off, and sent apologetic glances at the teacher in charge. But her mind was no longer on the test in front of her, and she only managed to fill in 30 answers out of 60.

"So, Sean said you had a bit of an outburst during the test." Duncan said, tentatively, at lunch.

"Got your friends spying on me, Kane?" She joked, buying herself time to think of a good lie. 'I realised that a letter admitting that I love Logan not you is lying in the suite' was obviously not the best thing to tell your boyfriend.

"No, he just mentioned it during math, and I wondered what got you so worked up that you jeopardised your results in a test you've studied really hard for." Duncan started gabbling, worried that she was accusing him. She realised that this was just one more thing that she didn't like about Duncan; if she had said that to Logan he would have played along, or just laughed in her face.

"Woah there Duncan, I'm kidding. I realised that I'd filled in all my answers wrong, and then I had to spend the rest of the test correcting them, so I don't think I did so great." She frowned. What the hell was she gonna do about that letter?

What the hell was he gonna do about that letter? Logan had been pondering the best course of action since Veronica and Duncan left that morning, and had got no further than the decision that he had to talk to her about it, but also spare Duncan's feelings.

"But how the hell am I gonna do that?" He muttered, frustrated. He threw his glass of tequila across the room. It was the same one he'd poured himself during the night, and it was still half full. He'd never gone so long without wanting a proper drink, that was just what Veronica did to him. Made him stop thinking about everything except her.

"Hey, man, how was your day of loving?" Duncan laughed as he entered the suite.

"Oh. It didn't, uh, it didn't happen." Logan hurriedly sat on the pad of paper he'd been using to write down his ideas. The last thing he wanted was Duncan to find them before he'd had a chance to work out his plan. "So, how about a guys night? To round off my day without women. We can drink too much and play video games." He could do with taking his mind off Veronica and her damn letter. Unfortunately, the universe had other plans for him.

"Duncan, do you have any food at all up here?" Veronica's voice drifted through from the makeshift kitchen area, where the table and minibar live. "I mean seriously, it's all beer and spirits. What do you guys eat when I'm not around?" She laughed, and came into the main room. "Oh, hey Logan." She looked nervous, and Logan noticed her eyes dart towards the spot on the couch where he found the letter.

"What's up, Mars? How was the history test?" He asked, trying to keep everything neutral and stop himself from yelling out that he knows all about the letter.

"Crap. Really not good. I didn't get farther than half way through." She said, and then blushed. Logan wondered what about a history test could have embarassed her, but Veronica Mars is a complicated girl, and he knows there's no point trying to work her out. "On second thoughts, a drink is exactly what I need." She hurried back to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of beer.

"So I guess that's a 'no' to guys night?" Logan asked, as the girl he might well love walked back into the room and flopped on the floor. "Don't you have somewhere to be, Mars?" He realised that he had sounded harsher than intended, and felt bad when he saw Veronica flinch.

"My Dad is still out of town actually, Logan. But I can leave if you really want me to. Wallace offered me movie night, with real food." She tried to not to show how much Logan's harsh words hurt her, and stood up to leave. "I only came back here today, because I've lost a page of notes somewhere, and I need them for tomorrow." She started foraging around in the couch, looking frantically for her letter without letting the boys know what she was doing.

Logan surreptitiously slid the letter back under a cushion when Veronica wasn't looking, so that she didn't realise he'd seen it. Her hand connected with it,and she stretched up triumphantly.

"Enjoy boys night. I'll see you tomorrow, babe." She kissed Duncan and bent to pick up her bag.

"Can I see what the notes are?" Duncan tried to take the page out of her hand, but she jerked it away.

"It's just Trig. Nothing interesting. Bye." She waved and left quickly, just glad that no one had seen the letter before she'd retrieved it.

Back in the suite, Logan decided that he had to act sooner rather than later.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: wow! 2 story updates in one night! I think I should get major brownie points for that, so please review and do nice things for me! I'd say that this is getting near to the last installment of this story, so I hope you like this chapter. I don't own Veronica Mars, nor do I own Better Together, although I do think it is a legendary song. I'll let you into a secret; to decide on veronica and logan's song, I just scrolled through my ipod till I found something good! Anyway, enjoy.

Veronica practically ran back to her car, in the parking lot of the Neptune Grand Hotel. Relieved to have her letter back, she didn't even notice Kendall Casablancas sauntering into the hotel, obviously on her way up to Logan and Duncan's suite. She was too busy thinking about what just went down up there.

While she knew that Duncan had swallowed her whole 'just Trig. Nothing interesting' remark, Logan had looked at her with the intense 'I know something you don't know I know' look that was so familiar, and so confusing to her. The idea that he had seen the letter, or even knew there was one, scared her, as she had no idea what he would do with the information.

"Just forget about it, Veronica, you were just imagining the look." She told herself as she sped away back to her apartment.

Keith was making dinner when she got in.

"Hey, honey, I was expecting you back earlier." Veronica sighed, it didn't matter how old she got, her father would always play the overprotetctive dad card.

"Sorry, had to pick up some work that I left at Duncan's." she replied, and then changed the subject, anxious to keep her father from asking why her work was there, and how much time she spent at the hotel. "So, that stir fry smells good, any chance that it's got chicken strips in it?"

Logan had thought long and hard about what he was going to do – oh so long, and oh so hard. Duncan was perplexed by his friend's odd behaviour; pacing and muttering weren't really Logan's style, he was usually more laid back. He was even more confused when Kendall, arriving at the door wearing nothing but a black bikini, was turned away with a terse 'Piss off, Kendall, and don't come back.' Finally, Duncan could take the unfamiliar tension in the suite no longer, and decided to confront his friend about it.

"Dude, what's up with you?" It wasn't his most eloquent conversation starter, but Duncan felt that it would suffice.

"Nothing, man, nothing. Just got some unsettling news is all." Logan said, unable to meet his best friend's eyes and refer to the letter at the same time. "I needed to get it through my system, you know?"

"Yeah, I know, but it seems to have really shaken you up. I mean, pacing, muttering, turning down Kendall. That's not you, man." Duncan looked concerned, and it killed Logan knowing that the reason for his discomfort was that he was plotting how to ruin Duncan's relationship.

"Sorry, was I bugging you?" He settled for remorse at annoying his friend, unable to be regretful for forming a plan to get back Veronica. "I'll go into my room, stop you getting pissed off at my weirdass behaviour."

He slouched into the bedroom and locked the door, so that Duncan couldn't follow him and continue grilling him. He couldn't afford to feel guilty about stabbing his best friend in the back. Duncan had done it to him more times than either of them really realised, so Logan felt that it was only fair to return the favour once or twice.

Looking back, Logan realised that the first time he had been betrayed by Duncan had been just after he had moved to Neptune, and had expressed an interest in dating the quirky, hyperactive Veronica Mars of their preteen years. The next day, before Veronica had even got a chance to get to know the new boy, Duncan had asked her out, and begun systematically turning her into the docile, boring girl that he knew Logan wouldn't be attracted to. Yeah, Duncan deserved his share of double-crossing.

Logan turned on the radio, and on came a song that he was very familiar with. A song that he and Veronica had listened to countless times, made out to, sang along to, and often just had on in the background. He turned up the volume, and sat down to think.

_There's no combination of words_

_I could put on the back of a postcard _

He could sympathise with that. It was hard for him to get out the words he wanted to say, but if Veronica had managed it – even in writing – maybe he could too.

_No song that I could sing_

_But I can try for your heart_

_Our dreams, and they are made out of real things_

_Like a, shoebox of photographs_

_With sepiatone loving_

They'd always joked about making their own shoebox of photographs, of putting important things, like Lilly's little black book, and the bear that Logan had always promised to give Ronnie.

_Love is the answer,_

_At least for most of the questions in my heart_

_Like why are we here? And where do we go?_

_And how come it's so hard?_

_It's not always easy and_

_Sometimes life can be deceiving_

_I'll tell you one thing it's always better when we're together_

It definitely wasn't better when they were apart, that was for sure. Logan couldn't stand to spend longer away from her, he had to think of a plan, and fast.

It's always better when we're together

_Yeah, we'll look at the stars when we're together_

_Well, it's always better when we're together_

_Yeah, it's always better when we're together_

_And all of these moments_

_Just might find their way into my dreams tonight_

_But I know that they'll be gone_

_When the morning light sings_

_And brings new things_

_For tomorrow night you see_

_That they'll be gone too_

_Too many things I have to do_

_But if all of these dreams might find their way_

_Into my day to day scene_

_I'd be under the impression_

_I was somewhere in between_

_With only two_

_Just me and you_

_Not so many things we got to do_

_Or places we got to be_

_We'll Sit beneath the mango tree now_

_It's always better when we're together_

_We're somewhere in between together_

_Well, it's always better when we're together_

_Yeah, it's always better when we're together_

_I believe in memories_

_They look so, so pretty when I sleep_

_Hey now, and when I wake up,_

_You look so pretty sleeping next to me_

_But there is not enough time,_

_And there is no, no song I could sing_

_And there is no, combination of words I could say_

_But I will still tell you one thing_

_We're better together._

By the end of the song, he had the perfect plan. He would start right away. Reaching out for his laptop, he opened a word document, and first of all copied the lyrics to their song at the top of the page. Underneath he started to write it all down, everything that he felt and that he wanted Veronica to know.

Dear Ronnie…

Even if it took him all night he was going to get the thoughts down onto the page, and then he was driving out to the carnival and waking up the owner of the toy stall. He had a bear to buy.

After an early night, Veronica had awoken bright and early to make her dad some pancakes.

"To repay him for the chinese food last night." She told herself.

Backup was jumping around restlessly and she grabbed his lead and collar, to take him for a quick walk on the beach. Walking out of the door she nearly missed the items lying on the doormat of her apartment. Almost tripping, she looked down to see what was causing her clumsiness. It was most definitely not any of the things she had expected – the post, a letterbox bomb, Weevil curled up asleep because the flats where the nearest place to the bar in which he had got too drunk to drive.

No, it was a letter, with one word on the envelope. Veronica. Next to it was a pale brown, fluffy teddy bear. The words 'I luv you beary much' were stitched across it's chest in red thread. Taken aback, she picked up the objects and went back into the apartment, completely forgetting about taking Backup for a walk.

Hugging the bear, the last thing she had expected to see, she tore open the envelope and started reading. Smiling slightly at the lyrics to her and Logan's song, she turned her attention to the letter below it.

**Dear Ronnie,**

**Man, I don't know how you did this! For two people who have trouble voicing their feelings aloud, I would have thought it would be harder for us to write them down where people could find them. But maybe you got it right, and it is easier – I sure hope it is, or you'll get bored and stop reading this letter before I've said the important bit.**

**First things first, though Ronnie. I got your letter. I know I wasn't supposed to see it, and to be fair it wasn't like I was looking for it, but it doesn't change the fact that I got it, and it's changed my life. It made me realise something, but before I tell you what that something is, you should know that since I read your letter – since I discovered how you really feel – I have turned Kendall away everytime she has come looking for me. Everytime. **

**So, onto that realisation. I realised that I love you. I love you so much that the prospect you moving on and staying with Duncan rips me up inside. I know that I can't live with seeing you two play the perfect couple game, and it makes me sad to know that all of your smiles and affectionate gestures for him are faked, put on because you think it is easier than loving me.**

**I want you to love me, Ronnie. I need you to. I'm a better person when you're there to guide me, always have been, even when you were meek and quiet, and Lilly was cheating on me every week – you were there for me then to stop me doing stupidass things, and I still need you to make me act smart.**

**Did you know that the first time I saw you I told Duncan I wanted to date you? No, of course you don't know that – unless you thought I was being serious in that game of I've Never two years ago. You didn't know because I never got the chance to tell you. I told Duncan, and he snuck off and asked you out so that I couldn't, and the way I see it, that's what he did this summer. He asked you out because he couldn't bear to see you with me. **

**Did you know that once you started dating him that first time, I stopped loving you like that. I didn't feel the spark with the dull Veronica that you became that I'd felt with the spunky Veronica you were to begin with. Did you know that I was really worried, that this time around he'd change you again, and I wouldn't want to fight for you? Did you know that I think that me fighting for you is in fact the only thing that will make you wake up and realise that he's trying to make you change. I wouldn't make you change, Ronnie. I didn't last time, all I wanted was your trust and understanding, and you say that you can give that to me now.**

**You don't have to worry about me being drunk and nostalgic, and not meaning a word of all this. I've hardly touched a drop since I read the letter, and I read the letter not more than 10 minutes after I ran into you during the night. Just after that conversation about your history test. You looked so shocked when you saw that I'd remembered the test, but I remember everything that's important to you. Dick tells me you had some kind of psycho outburst during the test - his words, not mine – so I hope you still passed. I hope you passed because I want you to get the Kane scholarship, so that you can go to whatever college you want to go to. Maybe, after you read this you'll be open to the idea of me going to the college that you go to. Open to the idea of us having a future.**

**I don't want you to move on Ronnie, I don't want you to forget about us and about how you felt with me. I want you to feel that way all the time. I'm not being unselfish – I want to feel that incredible swell inside of me that I get when I'm with you, too. You make me feel more exhilarated than an amazing days surfing, and you know that coming from me it's high praise indeed!**

**Read this, Ronnie. Read this, and think about what I'm saying. I need you, and you need me, and neither of us need Duncan or heartache. **

**I love you more than you even realise.**

**Logan.**

Veronica sat down on the couch with a bump. "Well, this is unexpected."

Even more unexpected was what was waiting for her in her locker when she reached school. She had put on a studied air of boredom, not wanting anyone to realise how unsettled and flustered she was. She didn't see Logan anywhere, and was glad, because she felt that she needed time to think about everything in his letter.

Opening her letter, an addidas shoebox toppled into her arms. Once again, the lyrics to Better Together were glued to the top of the box, the words 'shoebox of photographs' highlighted. Against her better judgement, she opened the box right there in the hallway, and the contents almost made her cry.

The box was filled with mementos and photos. Lilly's legendary black book of conquests, found by Logan shortly after her death, photos from homecoming, old video tapes, photos of her time dating Logan, a photo of Lilly and her in their soccer uniforms, even some that Logan must have got from Mac, Wallace, and even her father. Most obvious was one of her before Homecoming last year, showing off her red satin dress. On the back it simply said 'Lilly was right'. The box had many other things in it, more than Veronica had thought a shoe box could hold. Post-its that Veronica had left in his locker and books, and a cd, the track list of which showed that it was all of her favourite songs, as well as the now symbolic Jack Johnson track.

"Oh my God." Veronica breathed, willing herself not to start crying right there in front of the whole of Neptune High.

She knew then that she didn't need to think about the letter. What she needed to do was find Logan. Luckily for her he was standing not far off, overjoyed by her reaction to the box. Unluckily, Duncan was rapidly approaching to greet her, and she knew that he was not going to be pleased with her gift.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: It's not the longest chapter, but really it was the right place to stop. Never fear, this isn't the final chapter. I want to have an epilogue so that I can put in all the lovey-dovey sarcasticness that we all love about the Logan/Veronica pairing. Hope you like this chapter – it's mostly speech not action which is new for me – and it satisfies your expectations as to breaking up with Duncan. I quickly want to say thank you to all the amazing people who reviewed after my last chapter (which was obviously your favourite!). It's a really amazing feeling when people review, so please do it more often! Enjoy…**

Veronica took a deep breath, and tried to shove the shoe box behind her text books, as Duncan walked over to her. He gave her a chaste kiss on the lips, and asked her how her night had been. She smiled faintly, and was about to reply when the shoebox started sliding out of the locker, pushing all of her books out onto the floor.

"Woah, your locker is, like, attacking you!" He joked, but then noticed the shoe box lying among the books. "What's that, Ronica?"

"Oh, that's not important, uh, I mean, it's none of your business, um, just don't look!" Veronica stuttered, as her boyfriend knelt down and picked up the box.

"Come on, if it wasn't important you wouldn't care if I looked." Duncan reasoned. "Wait, is it a present for me?" His eyes lit up.

Veronica realised that the more time she spent with Duncan the more she realised that he really didn't understand her, and she really didn't like the person he was. Any other person (and although she tried not to, her mind immediately jumped to Logan as an example) would have just accepted that she didn't want them to look in the box, or even just asked questions that she could lie in answer to. Any other person (Logan) would hav realised that it probably wasn't something they wanted to see, and kept the box shut in case it saddened or hurt them. She wouldn't have wanted to lie to any other person (Logan).

But before she could stop him, Duncan had opened the box, and spotted the photos, the book and especially the dirty, flirty post-its. His hands tightened on the box, crumpling it slightly, and when he looked up at her his eyes were dark with anger and hurt.

"How long have you had this?" He asked quietly. She looked at him with wide, worried eyes. This wasn't how she'd wanted to break it to him. She'd wanted to let him down gently, in private, not in front of the whole school with a big shock. "How long, dammit?"

"About five minutes." She replied, in a small voice. "Listen, Duncan, can we please go somewhere else? Anywhere – even the bathrooms."

"Why? Why should I do what you want, take your feelings into account when you obviously don't think of mine?" His voice got louder and louder.

"That's just it, tomorrow you won't want everyone knowing your business, knowing what went down today." She pleaded with him. "This is about keeping your feelings private and not public domain." She really felt that way too – she knew what it was like to have everyone think they knew what was going on in your life, and think they had an opinion.

"I'm not gonna buy that crap anymore, Veronica." By this time he was shouting, and had dropped the box on the floor, it's contents spilling out. "Why do you have a box full of gushy romantic crap from _Logan_?"

"Please can we go someplace else? I have it because he gave it to me." Her first words were strong, but she mumbled her next words. "And it's not gushy crap."

She'd thought he hadn't heard, hoped it too as she knew how angry he could get, but Duncan had caught her words, and reacted badly to them. Seeing his fists clench at his sides, Logan rushed over to them to stop the attack he was certain would follow.

"You still have feelings for him, don't you? You still want to be with him. What was I? Just some distraction while Logan got his act together? Now that he's stopped burning down swimming pools and getting into fights everyday you think you can just drop me and take him up again?" A massive crowd – made up of practically the entire school, teachers included – had formed, and the spectators were drinking in the drama.

"Duncan that is so not what happened!" Veronica threw caution to the wind and stopped caring about the crowd gathering to watch her soap opera life experience another plot twist. "I honestly thought I was happy with you. If anyone is guilty of doing that then it's you! You're still in love with Meg! You're still in love with a pregnant girl who is in a coma! You're using me as a less complicated replacement, and don't give me all that crap about how you love me and the person I am!" She cut Duncan off as his mouth opened to retaliate, but he overrode her.

"I do love you. You're right, I never got closure after Meg, but that didn't stop me loving you exactly the way you are. You're the one who doesn't love me!"

"That's just it. You don't love me the way I am. You love me the way I was – when I was all soft edges and fluffiness. When I didn't know what pain was, when I'd never really experienced life. You're just in denial – in denial about the fact that I've changed completely, that I'm not that girl anymore." Both Veronica and Duncan were red in the face and breathing heavily. "You and Meg were perfect together, because you and Meg are the same kind of people – the kind who don't want to change, the kind who are always nice and friendly and good. I'm not. I'm a bitch, and there's really nothing else to it. I snark and get revenge and reveal delicate secrets in public. Know anyone else who does that? Cos I certainly do."

As if that was his cue, Logan stepped forward slightly, to make himself known. Veronica didn't even notice him standing there, but Duncan did, and apparently this was the last straw for him.

"You have to choose between him and me, Veronica." He demanded.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? It's him, always." She replied, softly. Duncan turned and walked away, as the crowd began whispering.

"Who does she think she is?" "Slut, leading on two guys at once" "Duncan's glad to be rid of her" "Do you think she'll do me, since she's doing Logan and Duncan as well?"

Veronica felt the familiar feeling of stares and whispers as she bent down to retrieve everything that had fallen out of her locker. She kept her eyes on the ground, determined not to let her peers realise that their words had affected her. There it was, she was alone again. Just like old times.

She piled up her books and then began gathering the 'gushy romantic crap' from the shoebox. A pair of hands joined hers in their quest to pick up photos. She looked up, and her eyes met Logan's. Not completely alone then. The whispers started up again.

"What's he doing with her?" "Damaged goods aren't really Logan's usual style are they?" "Dude, I still think he's on a reality TV show" "Undercover Skanks, Dick? Even she's too skanky for that"

Logan stood up and stuffed her books back into her locker, as Veronica put the lid on the box and straightened up. She looked at him uncertainly _'What are we gonna do now?' _As if he knew her unspoken question, he took her hand confidently and led her down the hallway. When they reached the doors she glanced back, and saw the crowd staring after them, open mouthed. Duncan was standing by the doors of the boy's toilets, a conflicted expression on his face, and for the first time, Veronica realised that she didn't care what he thought. She turned towards Logan and smiled broadly at him. Slipping his arm around her waist, he pulled her outside and towards his car.

"Will you say it?" He asked her, leaning against the door.

"Say what?" She was confused, unsure of what he was asking for.

"It's not the same as seeing it written down, I want to hear it." He smirked at her. "Do it or you don't get the romantic-gushy-crap-box."

Understanding dawned on her; he wanted her to tell him she loved him.

"God, you're such a girl." She laughed, hitting him on the arm. He laughed with her, but became serious soon, looking at her expectantly. "Fine. Logan Echolls, I love you." She said, slowly and deliberately.

"I love you too, Veronica Mars. Here is your box." He handed it back to her, and she put it into her bag. "What do you say to a trip to the beach?"


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This is the final installment. It's just a fluffy bit at the end of this story. I wanna thank all of you who reviewed. I got some amazing feedback, and apparently you all really liked it, so I hope I don't disappoint at the last hurdle. Enjoy. I don't own anything except the plotline. **

They pulled up at the beach and wandered along through the waves for a while.

"So how did you get your hands on the bear that was left on my porch?" Veronica asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I went to visit the carnies on the boardwalk. It may have been past midnight, but money talks." Logan replied, smirking at her.

"Ah yes, as we well know." She agreed. She went and sat on some nearby rocks, and Logan came and joined her. "That was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me."

"Really?" Logan looks overjoyed and more than a bit selfsatisfied. "I've gotta say I'm quite proud of that genius stroke." Veronica giggled.

"Normally I'd smack you for being so arrogant but I think that this time you actually deserve to be a bit pig-headed!" He pulled her close and stareed intently into her eyes. "I love you Logan, is that what you wanted to hear?" She found it impossible to stay serious, even while her boyfriend was giving her one of his many sexily intense looks, and laughed. He too dissolved into laughter, as he nodded and replied that it was exactly what he wanted. He leant down and captured her lips in a kiss that managed to be both playful and completely serious at the same time – Veronica idly wondered how he managed to convey two such contradictory feelings in one kiss, but soon gave up her musings in favour of losing herself in the kiss.

Logan couldn't believe his luck; here he was on the beach, skipping school with the girl of his dreams. The only way this day could get any better, he figured, was if she agreed to doing dirty things with him in the sand. "The waves look awesome today. D'you wanna go surfing?" He asked, finally breaking away from their kiss for air.

His girlfriend looked doubtful; she wasn't a good surfer, having only tried it once, on a whim, with Lilly. "I can't really surf, Logan." She admits, lying back on the sand.

"Now's as good a time as any to learn." He weedles, wanting both the waves and the love of his life at the same time. "It could be like, our thing."

"Thing?" She looks sceptical.

"Like, you know how couples have a thing? You and Duncan's was chinese food, mine and Lilly's was cheating on eachother, your girl Mac and Cassidy's is computers. Ours could be surfing." Logan grinned endearingly at her, obviously wanting to be like any other couple.

"You are ridiculously feminine sometimes, you know that?" Veronica laughed, smacking her boyfriend across the shoulder, as he lay back next to her. "So what was our thing last time around?"

"I dunno. Being the most messed up couple that's ever come out of Neptune?" He joked, suddenly getting up and grabbing Veronica's hand. "Come on, please will you let me teach you how to surf." He pulled her up to her feet, and dragged her unwillingly along the beach towards the surf shack. "Let's go hire a couple of boards and wetsuits."

"Logan, please don't make me do this! Logan, stop it! Let go!" She whined, all the way along the sand. "I'm really bad at picking up new things!"

"Say what you like, Ronnie, you are learning so surf so that we have a couple-thing, and that's final."

They reached the surf shop, and went inside. Logan was friends with the proprieter, and so they chatted for a few minutes about how the swell looked and when the tide was going to start turning in. Logan then started finding the things needed for, as Veronica put it, the torture that was to follow.

"Hey, Joe, do you have a board that's short and light enough for shortie over here?" He asked, jerking his head towards the blonde, who was picking out a bikini to wear under her green-edged wetsuit.

"I think so, in the kids section there ought to be one, man." Joe replied, laughing along with his best customer at the indignant look on Veronica's face.

Sure enough, the only surfboard light enough for her to carry was in fact a kids one, and she had to endure several minutes of teasing from her boyfriend. They change into their swimsuits and hired wetsuits, before heading out into the shallows of the sea.

"So, first things first. You lie on the board and paddle, so that you can get far enough away to catch proper waves." Logan instructed her, before showing her how.

By sunset, Veronica was surfing well, and even admitted to enjoying it. She and Logan were sitting on their boards, a little way out to sea, watching the sunset in silence. They held hands, and occasionally Logan leant over a dropped a kiss on her face or neck, but otherwise the pair stayed apart, content to just watch the sunset in eachother's company. But Logan started to get restless, and when his girlfriend showed no sign of boredom he decided to take action.

Certain that her attention was somewhere elese, he moved his board closer to hers, and manouvered his face so that it was right next to hers.

"Hey, Ronnie!" He yelled into her ear. She screamed and jumped a foot in the air. She fell into the water with a splash and glared at her boyfriend.

"Holy shit, Logan, you scared the crap out of me!" She grumbled, wringing out her hair.

"I'm sorry, babe, but boys will be boys, you know." He replied, smirking unrepentantly. "I was bored, anyway." He scooped her out of the water, and sat her down facing him on his board.

She lifted one leg over so that she was straddling it and moved closer. "Well, I can see why you would be. Guys have no soul. I wish I'd had my camera, though. The views from out here are to die for." She planted a soft kiss on his lips.

"So you admit that all this is incredible?" He asked, triumphantly.

"I'm sorry I never tried surfing properly before." She admitted. "Messing around with Lilly and Duncan just isn't the same."

"And it never will be. Because my company is oh so incredible." Their entire conversation was punctuated with kisses, and Veronica suddenly pulled him close, slipping her tongue between his lips. When they finally broke apart, the sky was completely dark, and the stars were twinkling. "I think it's time I took you home." Logan sighs, placing his girlfriend back on her surfboard and starting to paddle back towards the shore.

They drove back to Veronica's apartment, both with their wetsuits half off.

"We can return these to your guy Joe tomorrow." Veronica told him, as he turned off the engine of his Xterra.

"Fine, but then we're getting you a real wetsuit. You don't know how turned on I am seeing you dressed like this." Logan leered, pulling her in for another make out session.

Veronica broke away. "We can't. It's really late, and we have class tomorrow." She reasoned to her disappointed boyfriend.

"Fine. But I'm picking you up tomorrow, no objections." Logan said, firmly.

"I was expecting you to, lover." She laughed, undoing her seatbelt and hopping out of the car. "I'll see you in the morning. I love you."

"I love you too, Veronica Mars!" Logan yelled after her.

As she unlocked the door to her apartment, and prepared to face the music from her father for getting back after curfew, Veronica realised that this was the happiest she'd ever been.


End file.
